Career Center

The pharmacy technician who works in the pharmacy and throughout VA Hudson Valley facility locations and associated CBOC'S (Community Based Outpatient Care) primary duties consist of processing and preparing for prescriptions by counting, mixing, pouring, combining, or obtaining necessary medications and pharmaceutical products. BASIC REQUIREMENTS a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) b. Education or Experience. A high school diploma or equivalent; or at least 3 months experience. c. Certification. Certification by the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is required at grades GS-6 and above d. Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to obtain licensure/certification/ registration within the required time frame, or who fails to maintain the required licensure/certification/registration must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. For occupations which require an active credential (licensure/certification/registration) at all grade levels, at the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation for which he/she qualifies if a placement opportunity exists. For occupations which require an active credential (licensure/certification/registration) in assignments above the full-performance level only, at the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may remain at an appropriate lower grade level in the occupation when both of the following apply: the credential is not a requirement and a placement opportunity exists." e. Grandfathering Provision. The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all Title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Some of these provisions may not apply to this occupation. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/ registration requirements that apply to this occupation. required at grades GS-6 and above. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher-grade levels. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation f. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 g. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacy technicians appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. GRADE REQUIREMENTS Pharmacy Technician GS-6 (a) Experience. One (1) year experience at the next lower level and must fully meet the KSAs at the next lower level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs and the potential to acquire the assignment specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*): (b) Certification. PTCB certification is required at this grade level and above. (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 1. Ability to solve problems and make recommendations, e.g., troubleshoot operational problems and refer for appropriate action. 2. Knowledge of the operation and care of automated equipment. 3. Knowledge of, and ability to follow, written instructions for compounding with aseptic technique for hazardous materials such as oncology agents. 4. Knowledge, and ability to perform, compounding with aseptic technique for routine sterile products. 5. Knowledge of policies and procedures for inventory management in specialized areas such as emergency carts. 6. Knowledge of the computerized prescription process demonstrated by the ability to input prescriptions and medication orders. (d) Assignments. Pharmacy technicians may be assigned to any area of the pharmacy including expanded distributive function assignments; for example, assignment as team leaders for specific process improvement teams involving technical areas or performing more highly complex duties including preparation of oncology agents for clinical pharmacy specialists. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. ["CRITICAL ELEMENT: Medication Preparation and Distribution Fills Outpatient/Inpatient prescriptions and makes accurate selection of appropriate ingredients and containers, utilizes \"good manufacturing techniques\". Has full knowledge of formulary items and ensures prescriptions meet all restriction, policy, and procedure requirements. Has working knowledge of stock levels, prescription problems, such as prescription duplication, is brought to the attention of the pharmacist. Maintains appropriate stock levels in automated dispensing cabinets, unit-dose automated packaging canisters, and replaces all expired or contaminated medications. Prescriptions for surgical supplies and dietary supplements are accurately prepared and dispensed. Administrative Duties:\n1) Assists the supervisory staff with the daily assignments and for relocating technical support from one area of the pharmacy to another.\n2) Ensures that the unit of use items and the automated dispensing systems are restocked and that preventative maintenance is performed.\n3) Coordinates preventative maintenance which includes such functions as, determining when to order new or exchange old cassettes which includes drug/cassette assigning, and 'trouble-shooting\" the system as required.\n4) Ensure that all bulk compounding and manufacturing are done in a timely manner.\n5) Monitors workflow of the prescription filling process in order to maintain an average prescription waiting time below 30 minutes by adjusting staffing assignments to meet workload demands. Inpatient Activities:\n1) Centralized Intravenous (IV) Admixture Program:\na) Provides intravenous admixture bulk fluid automatic replenishment service for inpatient units and outpatient areas. Maintains pre-determined stock levels. Uses the VISTA computer system to maintain records and procedure reports. Works closely with the Supervisory Pharmacist to respond to changing use patterns and resolves problems.\nb) Prepares IV admixtures utilizing aseptic techniques in compliance with USP 797 in a timely manner for final check by a pharmacist. Delivers IV admixtures as scheduled.\n2) Centralized Unit Dose Program:\nPerforms all technical functions associated with the unit-dose medication distribution system.\n3) Centralized Automatic Ward Stock Program:\nFunctions independently to provide automatic ward stock medications and supplies replenishments for inpatient units according to orders placed by Nursing staff. 4) Centralized Emergency Crash Cart Medication Requirement:\nReplenishes emergency crash cart medication trays and bags with exact items needed according to standardized checklist. Checks and documents all expiration dates for emergency crash cart medication trays and bags when they are replenished and are part of the monthly ward inspection. 5) Telephone Triage:\na) Responsible for answering the telephone in the outpatient/inpatient telephone area. All calls are to be answered in a timely and professional manner.\n6) Procurement Activities:\nResponsible to check-in pharmaceutical deliveries. 7) Pre-packaging Activities:\nRepackages bulk drugs, which includes liquids, tablets, capsules, ointment, creams, etc., into specified quantities and various sized containers including specialized packaging for the Automated Drug Distribution System (ADDS). 8) Compounding Activities:\na) Prepares pharmaceutical products by bulk compounding when required medications are not commercially available in compliance with UPS 795 A pharmacist must review all calculations prior to compounding and inspect the final product. Outpatient Activities:\n1) Processing Prescriptions:\na) Receives mailed-in prescriptions and refill requests. Examines prescriptions and refill requests against computer medication profiles for administrative irregularities (i.e., missing directions, missing VA provider identification, non-formulary medications, etc.) and makes appropriate referrals to the pharmacists. b) Enters refill requests into the computer database accurately and efficiently.\nc) Prepares prescriptions for final check by pharmacist. e) Verifies the identification of the patient prior to releasing the medications.\nf) Prepares packages of completed prescriptions that are designated to be mailed and transports them to the appropriate area for pick up.\n2) Centralized Automatic Ward Stock Program:\nFunctions independently to provide automatic ward stock medications and supplies replenishment for outpatient clinic areas according to orders placed by Nursing staff. Conducts at least monthly inspections of all patient care units and other areas/departments of the medical center and outpatient areas where medications are stored, administered, or dispensed. Work Schedule: 11:30 AM - 8 PM with occasional 8 AM - 4:30 PM shifts, weekend & holiday rotations. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]